SAN ANTONIO – An employee at a lottery retailer was arrested on lottery fraud charges after allegedly stealing lottery tickets and cashing them in without paying.
Michael Garza, 38, was already in jail on unrelated drug charges when a warrant for his arrest was issued Wednesday on lottery fraud and theft charges, court records show.
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According to the victim who owns the store where Garza was employed, lottery tickets started disappearing, which prompted the victim to review the surveillance video. Police did not provide the name or location of the store.
The footage showed Garza stealing lottery tickets and then activating them on multiple occasions between March 16-28, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
The reported cost of the stolen tickets equals $9,875 and the Texas Lottery Commission reported that the stolen amount of winnings from the redeemed tickets is $5,813, according to the affidavit.
Garza’s bond is set at $3,500 for the theft charge and $5,000 for the lottery fraud charge.
Court records show he was already in jail on two drug charges and a charge of felon in possession of a firearm when the warrant for his arrest for the fraud and theft charges was issued.